Using the library

Borrowing and returning books

You can borrow a wide range of material from the Library using the self-service machine located in the Library space . Don't forget you'll need to bring University ID card with you if you want to borrow items.

London items should also be returned using the self-service machine. Any items borrowed from the Loughborough campus should be returned to the Student Services desk during opening hours.

How many items can I borrow?

Type of patron

Maximum number of loans

Postgraduate (taught) students

25 items

Research students

35 items

Staff

35 items

Alumni and visitors may be allowed to borrow books on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the Academic and Learning Resources Librarian, Angie Applegate, for more information: a.applegate@lboro.ac.uk

How long can I borrow items for?

Type of item

Length of loan

Month loan

4 weeks

Week loan (green spine label)

7 days

Reference (red spine label)

These books must stay in the Library and cannot be loaned

This includes books borrowed from the Loughborough Campus.

Distance and part-time students and those registered with Counselling and Disability Service (CDS) can borrow long loan items for 6 weeks and week loan items for two weeks once the Library has been informed of their status by CDS.

Books need to be returned/renewed by 23.55 on the date the book is due for return (apart from high demand short loan items which are due in by 2.30pm on the date they are issued to). The Library will send two loan notice letters before a book becomes overdue and then overdue reminders (via email initially and via letter if you haven’t replied to the first two overdue reminder emails) when items become late.

Please note that all items remain available for recall at any time (apart from Christmas and Easter vacations).

Frequently asked questions about borrowing

The week before term ends we roll the due dates on for the vacations for all students so that books issued or renewed in that final week are issued until the start of the next term UNLESS a book has an outstanding request on it, in which case it will still only issue for one week.

After feedback from our users, we have stopped recalling books after the last week of term in both the Christmas and Easter vacations (subject to the exception outlined above).

N.B. Any book can still be recalled during the Summer vacation, so you should continue to check your staff/student email account and post the book back to the Library if you are not in Loughborough. Failure to do so, will mean a fine will accrue.

Any Long or One Week Loan item which is out on loan to another reader may be requested by contacting the Academic and Learning Resources Librarian. You will be emailed when your requested item is available to collect from the Student Services office on the 2nd floor. It will be held for one week.

Please be aware that any of your books can be recalled. You will receive an email from us to warn you that the item has been recalled. You have 7 days from the date printed on the email to return the item for long loan items. Week loan items that have been requested will not be renewable and should be returned according to the date in the email. Check the email carefully to ensure you are returning the correct title.

The recall system works for you as well. If you reserve an item, you can expect to receive it in about 7 to 10 days, unless it is in very heavy demand.

If you need to remind yourself which items you have currently out on loan, use the My Account option on Library Catalogue Plus. You will need to sign in using your username and password (the same one you use to access your emails) and choose My Account .

If you are not sure what your username and passwords are you can ask at Student Services desk on the 2nd floor. Please bring your student/staff card with you.

You can also check your account on the self service machine in the Library.

To renew the items you have out on loan, log on to the catalogue and select My Account (as above) and then click on Loans. A list of all the items you have out on loan will be displayed. You can renew one item at a time by selecting the item and following the instructions. If the system is unable to renew an item it will inform you of the details of the book so that you can return it to the Library.